InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sword of Supreme Conquest ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Kagome sat cross-legged on the floor of Kaede's hut and chaffed her arms to ward off goosebumps created by the chilled air. The small fire she'd started in the center of the hut flickered and gained strength but it was a long way from the roaring inferno she was used to.

 

 

The old priestess was noticeably absent, apparently tending to the sick in a nearby village, and the hut felt haunted without her presence. She brought a sense of comfort to the otherwise dull and gloomy abode and Kagome longed for her words of wisdom. She needed to talk to someone about what Akira had told her.

 

 

She seriously wondered for a good ten minutes if it'd all been a twisted dream, but the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she wouldn't be so lucky. Sesshomaru was in trouble and it was up to her to save him! As if that wasn't enough to carry on her shoulders she had the baby to worry about too.

 

 

What could she possibly do for him when she was in this kind of condition? A whole lot of nothing that's what! It'd only been a few hours but already she felt overwhelmed by the urgency of it all and frustrated with her own weaknes.

 

 

Frowning, she glanced wearily out the one window she'd left open for some fresh air and noticed that the sun was beginning to die down. Ah-Un would be there the next morning to take her safely back to the Western Lands, but from where she sat morning couldn't come soon enough.

 

 

Pushing herself up off the floor, Kagome moved the bamboo mat covering the door aside and looked out at the nearby fields. It never ceased to amaze her how green everything was in the feudal era. Some areas in the modern time still looked like this, but for the most part everything was concrete and brick. It was sad in a way, to know that within a few hundred years all of this beauty would be gone.

 

 

Tapping her fingers against the wooden doorframe, Kagome pondered where Inuyasha could be. She hadn't seen him in over a year, not since she'd last left him to return with Sesshomaru to the west. She could only hope he was doing well. From what Kaede had told her during her previous visits, he seemed to be adapting well to life as a human. She was glad for it, she only wished she could see it for herself first hand. Maybe then she could set aside the guilt. It as a heavy burden and one she could do without at the moment.

 

 

With a bored sigh, she turned away from the door and looked longingly at the abandoned palate on the floor. Taking a warm blanket from her bag she shook it out and quickly eased herself down onto the straw mattress, breathing in the scent of fresh hay as she did so. Within seconds her eyes were closed, her breaths even, and she was dead to the world, lost in a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

 

The sun was low in the sky when Kagome awoke to the sound of someone calling her name. Thinking she was still in a dream, she rolled over on her side as best she could considering the size of her belly and blocked out the voice. A gentle hand touched her shoulder, forcing her eyes open and sending her heart racing. When she locked gazes with a pair of curious brown eyes hovering over her she relaxed, a giant grin quickly spreading across her face. Pushing herself up, she wrapped her arms around her long lost friend and held him tight.

 

 

“Inuyasha! It's been so long since I've seen you! I've missed you so much!” He returned her hug in earnest, a soft, low chuckle reverberating through his chest. It'd been so long since she heard him laugh and the sound made her squeeze him tighter. After a moment he pulled away and helped her easily to her feet. She noticed that his eyes immediately went to her stomach and for the first time she began to feel self-conscious about her size. She shuffled her feet back and forth uncomfortably but stopped once he returned his eyes to hers.

 

 

“Kagome…you're…you're fat!” Putting her hands over her stomach she narrowed her eyes at him.

 

 

“Thanks a lot Inuyasha! I'm pregnant not fat! Besides, it's not like I want to be this big!”

 

 

He stepped back from her and his face quirked into a confused mask. Barely a sentence and she was angry at him! It had to be a new record or something! It felt just like old times and as strange as it seemed, it was actually comforting to know that neither of them had changed despite their many months apart. He'd thought perhaps she wouldn't care to see him anymore, now that she had Sesshomaru, but she'd looked genuinely happy to see him. He may not have been able to smell a lie anymore, but her eyes told him what he needed to know. Smiling he shook his head and attempted to give it another shot.

 

 

“That's not what I meant! Kaede told me you were with child. I guess I just forgot…” He had the decency to hang his head and made a show of looking embarrassed. The anger quickly melted from Kagome's face and was replaced with a warm smile. Though her face never faltered her mind reeled with questions. How long had he known about the baby? Was that why he'd never come to visit her? Did her presence bring back too many painful memories of the child they'd once shared? She caught his eye and held his gaze in silence for a moment, but the soft brown orbs remained closed to her prying eyes.

 

 

“Inuyasha…,” she began softly, his name sounding strained as it came off her lips. He held her gaze and for the briefest of moments he let her see what was resting on his thoughts - he still loved her as much as he always had. For a brief moment it was perfectly clear to her and then it was gone. He looked away and their private moment was interrupted by a soft cough from the doorway.

 

A young woman stood in the doorway, the light of the dying sun illuminating her small frame from behind. She smiled at them placatingly, but Kagome had a feeling there was more to the story. Inuyasha's sudden nervous cough told her that this woman, whoever she was, was definitely not just anyone. Stepping over to the door he guided the girl into the room with a gentle hand against the small of her back and Kagome noted that it suddenly felt much too small inside the hut for three people.

 

 

“Kagome, this is Shizuka. Shizuka, this is an old friend of mine, and my brother's mate-I mean wife, Kagome.”

 

 

Both women bowed gracefully as they sized one another up. So…he's found himself a girlfriend, Kagome mused with a small smile. It also appeared, judging by the blank expression on her face, that the girl had absolutely no idea who she was. She wasn't sure exactly what to make of this new revelation. Should she be surprised? She didn't think so, but then again…

 

 

Shizuka was in every way what a perfect feudal wife should be and Kagome felt a surprising pang of jealousy. She was dainty, graceful and meek. She did not speak until spoken to and maintained an air of gentle calm about her at all times. Considering what she knew of Inuyasha's past experiences with women, she was the exact opposite of the type of woman he was usually interested in, but maybe that was for the best considering what the previous outcomes of his love affairs had been.

 

 

The girl's dark eyes travelled over Kagome's body, resting only momentarily on the obvious sign of her pregnancy. With the faintest hint of a smile, she quickly wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's bicep and snuggled in closer to him. She was making a point and Kagome got it loud and clear - he's mine now, back off.

 

 

Inuyasha for his part appeared incredibly uncomfortable and was sweating in the awkward silence. Clearing his throat gently he bent forward and whispered something softly into Shizuka's ear. She nodded obediently and placed a soft kiss on his cheek before shuffling quietly towards Kaede's herb cupboard. With her back turned Inuyasha seemed to breathe easier and he motioned to Kagome to join him outside.

 

 

“Come on! I'll take you on a tour of the village while Shizuka makes some tea,” he offered. “A lot's changed,” he commented genially but Kagome had a feeling he wasn't speaking about the village. With a wary look towards the girl picking tea leaves from the herb cupboard, she nodded and joined Inuyasha outside.

 

 

They walked in silence beside one another until they were at least three huts away before Inuyasha finally spoke. “I'm really sorry about that,” he started off apologetically. “I was bringing her here to meet Kaede and I didn't know you'd be here…” Kagome cut in with a wave of her hand.

 

 

 

“Inuyasha don't be silly! You couldn't have known I'd be here. I should be apologizing to you for just inviting myself over. So, tell me about her. How did you two meet?” He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief but shifted uncomfortably in his haori nonetheless.

 

 

“It was Kaede. She insisted that I start looking for a women to…well…you know…settle down with. She introduced us at the spring festival and we've been sort of seeing each other ever since. She lives a couple of towns over with her parents and younger sisters. I suppose you can be the first to know…I've asked her to marry me. That's why I was bringing her to visit Kaede, so we could tell her the news.”

 

 

Kagome was admittedly surprised, though she didn't let it show on her features. Living with Sesshomaru had taught her how to hide those emotions she didn't want others to see. A feeling rose up in her chest and clutched at her heart but she couldn't admit to herself what it was - jealousy. Why should she jealous of the woman Inuyasha had chosen to make a life with? Did she really expect him to remain alone forever? She pushed the disturbing thoughts out of her head and forced a smile onto her face.

 

 

“Wow Inuyasha that's great! Congratulations!” she gave him a quick hug, but when she pulled away there a flicker of regret in his eyes. Pulling him towards a fallen tree that had long since begun to rot she forced him to sit down next to her. Jealousy forgotten, her eyes now full of concern. “You don't love her do you?” she asked, already knowing what the answer would be. He shrugged his shoulders and folded his hands between his knees.

 

 

“I want to. I've really tried to, but…she just isn't you. I know she'll be a good wife and mother and I know I could be happy with her but I'll never love her, not like I love you.” He turned to face her and she could see the pain behind his eyes. He really wanted to move on but it was impossible for him. Kagome rubbed his back sympathetically and leaned her head against his shoulder.

 

 

“Inuyasha…I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come.”

 

 

He shook his head vehemently and stared hard into her brown eyes. “No! You're wrong! This isn't your fault…it's not your problem so don't worry yourself about it. I'll manage. I always do.” They sat in silence for a moment with nothing left to say to each other, both lost in their own dark thoughts.

 

 

“I take it you haven't told her about us either, have you?” she already knew the answer to this question too, but wanted to hear it from him. He shook his head “no”, the dying sun glinting off his dark hair.

 

 

 

 

“Are you serious?,” he asked with a half smile. “You're a hard act to follow Kagome. Telling her about you and our relationship would just be cruel. How's she supposed to live up to that?”

 

 

Kagome ducked her head to hide the rosy flush of embarrassment colouring her cheeks. She remembered all too well what it felt like to live in Kikyo's shadow, to feel like she was constantly being compared to the memory of someone she could never possibly compete with. The Shizuka girl looked smart. She'd probably already deduced that there was more to their relationship than he was letting on. He'd have to tell her eventually, but perhaps for now things were best left as they were.

 

 

“Hey, you wanna see something cool from the modern era?” she cut in excitedly in an effort to lighten the mood.

 

 

Inuyasha's ears perked up and he sat up straight. He hadn't been back to the modern era in a while. Everything about it fascinated him so he waited eagerly for Kagome to reveal her treasure. His eyes followed her hand as she reached into the inner pocket of her blouse and pulled out what looked like a picture. She handed it to him and he peered at it curiously, his eyes going cross-eyed as he tried to make out what was.

 

 

“What is it?” he finally asked, scrunching up his nose at the grainy black and white image. It was the worst picture he'd ever seen. He felt mildly disappointed with the surprise, thinking that it was probably more of that “modern art” stuff she'd tried to show him once. With a grimace he tried to give it back to her but she wouldn't take it. Instead she giggled and explained that it was a picture of her baby the doctor's had taken while she was home. She was practically beaming as she pointed out where the baby's head and feet were.

 

 

After turning the picture around a few more times, Inuyasha cried out with excitement. “I see it! I see it! So that's what they look like huh? I think he has your nose.” Squinting, he drew the picture closer and studied it in detail before slowly nodding his head as if to confirm his previous statement. Glancing at her he handed the picture back and she gently tucked it away once more. “Has Sesshomaru seen that yet?”

 

 

She shook her head no and her eyes immediately glanced longingly westward. There was a certain sadness in her gaze and he wanted to ask what was wrong but she didn't give him the chance. When she looked back at him the sad look was gone and she was herself once more. He wanted to be relieved but ended up feeling even more unsettled.

 

 

“I haven't been home yet to give it to him. Do you think he'll like it?”

 

 

He shrugged, honestly unsure how his brother would react. She would know better than anyone. Seeing Kagome's hopeful face he replied as reassuringly as possible. “I'm sure he'll think it's great.” She instantly broke out into a beaming smile and he felt his heart skip a beat. He couldn't believe that after so much time she could still have such an effect on him.

 

 

“You know Inuyasha,” she began hesitantly, “nothing says you have to get married. If you don't love Shizuka, then maybe she isn't the right one for you. Kaede and I would both like to see you happily settled down but maybe you're just not ready yet. I'm not saying don't marry her, I just want you to make sure that if you do it's for the right reasons okay?”

 

 

“Thanks,” he replied, his tone warm with sincerity. “Maybe I am ready to settle down. I wouldn't mind having a home and family of my own some day too.”

 

 

He shrugged as he toyed with the thought in his head. It was an appetizing prospect, but the more he considered Kagome's words the more he realized that perhaps now wasn't the right time for such a life. He still had a lot he wanted to do and see. Did he really want to be settled down right now? It certainly gave him a lot to think about.

 

 

Knowing that he couldn't be affectionate around Kagome once they got back to the hut out of respect for Shizuka, he quickly pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her hair. She rested her cheek against his chest and pressed her ear over his heart as he held her. She could hear it beating strongly beneath his haori and smiled knowing that a part of it still and always would beat for her.

 

 

Breaking away from one another they turned towards the tiny cottage where his fiancé was no doubt waiting for them. “Come on, we should get back before she starts to worry,” he said softly.

 

 

Kagome nodded and fell in step beside him. With a heavy sigh she gazed westward once more and silently asked the gods for strength. She'd need that and a barrel full of patience to get through the next few hours of awkward small talk. Morning definitely couldn't come soon enough!